BJP expels 40 members 'for indulging in anti-party activities' in Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: In a major development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday expelled 40 members from its Uttarakhand unit for alleged "anti-party activities".

According to news agency ANI, some of those who were expelled from the party include Rajnish Sharma, Meera Raturi, Mohan Singh Bisht, Mahesh Bagri, Pramila Uniyal and Bhavan Singh, among others.

Bharatiya Janata Party Uttarakhand has expelled 40 members from the party 'for indulging in anti-party activities.' pic.twitter.com/NPwFT4iY2u — ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2019

The party had in July expelled Kunwar Pranav Singh 'Champion', its MLA from Uttarakhand, for six years. He had come under fire after he was seen dancing with guns in his hands and mouth, in a video which had been widely shared on social media.

The development comes nearly a month after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held crucial "discipline sessions" with party lawmakers.

The sessions held by PM Modi had come after Akash Vijayvargiya, son of BJP veteran Kailash Vijayvargiya and an MLA from Madhya Pradesh, assaulted an official with a cricket bat and had been unrepentant about his behaviour.

"Whoever it may be, whoever's son he may be, such arrogance, misbehaviour cannot be tolerated and action should be taken against them," the Prime Minister had said, referring to what he called the "Indore incident".